Celtic star Leigh Griffiths was once doubted by ex-Glasgow Rangers striker Billy Dodds, he admits.
Former Scotland and Rangers striker Billy Dodds has admitted to BBC Sport that he doubted whether Celtic hitman Leigh Griffiths would make it, but now concedes that he is vital to club and country.
The Celtic star missed Scotland’s 1-0 defeat by Hungary on Friday with a calf injury that has sidelined him since the end of January, though he was an unused substitution in the Hoops’ last game.
The 27-year-old, who bagged a 40-goal season in the 2015-16 campaign under former Bhoys boss Ronny Deila, has netted four times in 17 appearances for Scotland, though a brilliant double against England last June was a huge reminder of his pedigree on the international scene.
Dodds, who spent four years at Rangers, coached Griffiths at Dundee during a two-year stint at Dens Park as a youngster, and the 49-year-old admits to having worries about whether the Celtic man would come good.
“Leigh Griffiths is our best hope of goals, we need him back fit,” he told BBC Sport.
“I worked with Leigh as a young lad [while coaching at Dundee] and I had my worries but he’s seen off everybody that challenges him at Celtic.
“Hopefully he gets over it [the injury] and gets a consistent run and is fit for the big games coming up for Celtic and Scotland.”
Brendan Rodgers’s side effectively have the Premiership title sewn up, but a Scottish Cup semi-final with Rangers next month will go some way to determining whether they win a second successive treble.
Celtic have already won the Scottish League Cup and, with a 10-point gap between them and the second-placed Gers, next month’s semi at Hampden is a huge game for both Old Firm sides and if Griffith is fit, the better for the Hoops.
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